Italy 2025
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Legal and corporate affairs director | METINVEST TRAMETAL & FERRIERA VALSIDER – Italian rerollers of Metinvest Group
Group legal and corporate affairs manager | CAREL Industries
Legal director head of m&a and corporate transaction | MSC
Head of legal, corporate, regulatory and antitrust affairs | Enel Group
Head of legal, regulatory and compliance affairs | ENI Plenitude
Vice president corporate law and secretary of the board of directors | Recordati
Chief legal, corporate affairs, and compliance officer | Lavazza Group
Head of legal, compliance & corporate affairs | System Logistics
Legal director and regional compliance officer | Hilti Italia
It has been an honour and a privilege to research and produce this year’s edition of The Legal 500: GC Powerlist Italy. Each edition offers the opportunity to spotlight the exceptional calibre of in-house legal professionals in the country, and this year has been no exception. What made this experience especially rewarding was not only the depth of legal insight shared, but also the openness, curiosity, and strategic thinking demonstrated by the general counsel we interviewed. Their contributions elevated this publication and reaffirmed its relevance to Italy’s fast-evolving legal and business landscape.
This year, a number of key themes emerged — among them, the growing alignment between legal functions and broader business strategy, and the increasingly proactive role that general counsel are playing in responding to complex socioeconomic shifts.
Simone Davini LL.M., General Counsel Italy at Deutsche Bank, shared an important and sobering perspective on one of the most pressing macroeconomic challenges Italy faces today:
“Italy is facing a deep demographic crisis, being one of the countries with the lowest fertility rates in the world… The population has not grown naturally since 2006, and immigration has not offset the decline… These factors contribute to an aging population, raising serious concerns about the long-term sustainability of the social security and healthcare systems and about the labor market: in fact, the tax-payers population shrinks, while the demand for public health services and pensions grows; on top of that, the overall workforce goes down, tanking the internal rate of productivity and the global output of the Italian economic system.”
This kind of strategic, systems-level thinking highlights the evolving role of general counsel—not just as legal experts, but as business-critical advisors with a firm grasp on the wider context in which their companies operate.
Equally important in today’s corporate environment is a focus on culture and inclusion. Lodovico Bianchi Di Giulio, Group General Counsel – Head of Legal & Compliance at BIP Group, described his department’s approach to fostering equity and belonging:
“In BIP Group’s Legal & Compliance Department, diversity and inclusion are naturally embedded: two-thirds of our team members are women. We place strong emphasis on maintaining a healthy work-life balance, while also assigning each team member challenging objectives that promote both personal and professional growth… I dedicate significant time to listening to team members’ feedback, responding thoughtfully to their needs, and fostering a supportive and respectful working environment.”
These reflections are just two among many that demonstrate how Italy’s top in-house counsel are helping to reshape corporate priorities—balancing legal risk with long-term value, and guiding organisations through uncertainty with vision, empathy, and clarity.
Within this edition, you will find a wealth of insights across a range of topics, alongside detailed profiles of the talented legal leaders who make up the 2025 GC Powerlist: Italy. I would like to express my deepest thanks to everyone who took part. It is with great pride that I present this edition—celebrating the integrity, resilience, and leadership of Italy’s most outstanding in-house legal professionals.
Margherita Birri
Research Editor
Legal 500
Legal 500’s 2025 edition of the GC Summit Taiwan 2025 at the Mandarin Oriental Taipei raised the bar for GC-focused, content led events for corporate counsel in Taiwan. The event provided an invaluable opportunity for the in-house legal community in this dynamic and globally respected market to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping their profession in an increasingly complex global landscape.
Opening remarks were delivered by Joe Boswell, Global Editor of The Legal 500’s GC Powerlist series, who welcomed attendees and highlighted the Summit’s central theme of in-house lawyers leading with agility and foresight in a rapidly changing world. Boswell emphasised the strength and dynamism of Taiwan’s legal community, setting the tone for an afternoon of thoughtful and practical dialogue. He then introduced Lois Lin, Chief Legal Officer of Wiwynn Corporation, who officially opened the day’s proceedings with remarks on innovation, collaboration, and leadership within Taiwan’s corporate legal sector, particularly in regards to utilising AI and legal tech tools within a modern legal department.
The first panel Powering Digital Growth: Challenges and Opportunities in Taiwan’s Data Center Landscape, examined the infrastructure driving Taiwan’s digital expansion. Ken-Ying Tseng, Lily Kuo, and Chi Lee of Lee and Li discussed how legal teams can balance rapid technological growth with compliance, sustainability, and innovation, offering practical insights into the evolving regulatory environment surrounding data centres.
The second session, U.S. Tariffs, Export Controls, and Sanctions Under the New Administration: Implications for Taiwan’s Exporters, featured Winston Y. Chan and Matthew S. Axelrod, Partners at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Drawing on their experience as former U.S. government enforcement officials, they provided a compelling analysis of shifting U.S. trade policies under the new administration and their implications for Taiwan’s exporters.
Following this, Winning in the Federal Circuit: Recent Case Studies brought James Lin and Matthew Wawrzyn, Partners at FisherBroyles, to the stage for a fascinating discussion on Federal Circuit litigation strategy. Sharing lessons from cases they personally argued and won, the panellists provided attendees with practical takeaways on managing cross-border IP disputes.
The final session, AI for In-House Legal Teams: Evolution or Revolution?, explored the realities of AI adoption within corporate legal departments. Jolie Shu Chun Liao, Hsiao Wei (William) Tsai, Christine Yang, and Sabrina Chang shared insights into how technology is reshaping workflows, decision-making, and the role of legal teams across industries.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Joe Boswell, followed by drinks and canapés, where attendees continued the discussion in a relaxed setting. The GC Summit Taiwan 2025 reaffirmed The Legal 500’s commitment to providing a platform for Taiwan’s in-house counsel to share experiences, gain insights, and shape the future of the legal profession.
